Managing Substance Abuse on Construction Sites in Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

Substance abuse is a major problem particularly in the construction industry, owing to the strenuous nature of construction work. This study appraises the management of substance abuse with the view to develop strategies for addressing the menace among workers on construction sites in Jos. Questionnaire was used to obtain the data for the study. Mean Score was used in analysing the data. The study revealed that workers engage in drug abuse on site in order to increase their strength and decrease workplace induced stress. Common signs of workplace substance abuse were falling asleep at work often/appearing to be very tired at all times and prone to making mistakes at work. The main effects of substance abuse on the workers' performance were impairment of employee's judgment and high rate of accidents. The study revealed that the most effective strategies for combating substance abuse among workers on construction sites were providing trainings to workers on helping with workplace addiction issues and support system-counseling for first time offence.